Typically, work vehicles, such as tractors and other agricultural vehicles, include an exhaust treatment system for controlling engine emissions. As is generally understood, exhaust treatment systems for work vehicles often include a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) system in fluid communication with a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system. The DOC system is generally configured to oxidize carbon monoxide and unburnt hydrocarbons contained within the engine exhaust and may include a mixing chamber for mixing an exhaust reductant, such as a diesel engine fluid (DEF) reductant or any other suitable urea-based fluid, into the engine exhaust. For instance, the exhaust reductant is often pumped from a reductant tank mounted on and/or within the vehicle and injected onto the mixing chamber to mix the reductant with the engine exhaust. The resulting mixture may then be supplied to the SCR system to allow the reductant to be reacted with a catalyst in order to reduce the amount of nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions contained within the engine exhaust.
During winter and/or at locations with colder climates, there have been issues with the exhaust reductant freezing within the reductant tank when the work vehicle is not operated over a given period of time (e.g., overnight). When this occurs, the exhaust reductant must be thawed prior to the vehicle being operated. Current heating solutions typically include a fluid conduit extending within the reductant tank that is configured to circulate warm engine coolant through the tank, thereby allowing the reductant contained therein to be heated. However, since it takes the engine coolant a substantial period of time to heat up (particularly at very low operating temperatures), the thawing process is relatively slow and, thus, can result in significant vehicle downtime.
Accordingly, an improved system for heating the exhaust reductant contained within the reductant tank of a work vehicle would be welcomed in the technology.